Russia fails to restore positions near Urozhayne in Shakhtarske direction

"In Shakhtarske direction, the Russians unsuccessfully tried to restore the lost positions in the area of Urozhayne, Donetsk region." Ukrin

Ukrainians paying up to $10,000 to escape draft

"Thousands of Ukrainian men have paid large sums in bribes to avoid getting drafted during

the ongoing conflict between Kiev and Moscow....The news comes as Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky launched a massive military purge, sacking all of the regional military conscription officials and citing the multiple corruption scandals rocking the country. 

The recruitment officials are set to be replaced by combat veterans, according to Kiev’s plan.....The head of the Odessa regional recruitment center Evgeny Borisov, who was arrested last month, turned out to be one of the most ‘prolific’ officials involved in draft-dodging rackets. The official is now suspected of bagging more than $5 million in bribes, charging from $2,000 to $10,000 per person for various ‘options’ to escape the draft. Borisov is believed to have been using the ill-gotten money to fund a posh lifestyle, with his family procuring a €4.2-million ($4.6-mn) villa in Spain last December, as well as other luxury assets, according to Ukrainian investigators." RT

Explosions reported in Kiev after air raid alert

"The Ukrainian military says the capital has come under attack by Kinzhal hypersonic
missiles." RT

Russian Military Turn Ukrainian Stronghold Into Blazing Inferno

"Russian forces repelled 16 enemy attacks on several fronts over the past 24 hours, and as a
result the Ukrainian military lost about 800 military personnel and several dozen pieces of equipment.

The Russian Defense Ministry has released a video of Battlegroup Yug unleashing pinpoint strikes on a Ukrainian military stronghold near Avdeevka and turning it into a blazing inferno." Sputnik

ZNPP loses power from main line, on verge of blackout

"Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant (ZNPP), temporarily seized by Russian troops, lost power from the main 750 kV external power line .After that, ZNPP had to switch to the only available backup line of 330 kV, the disconnection of which threatens ZNPP to lose external power (blackout)." Ukrin

China Confirms Troop Operations near Alaska

"The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) of China confirmed it has been conducting joint patrols
with Russia near the Alaskan coast, promised the provocative activity will only intensify, and said the U.S. was hypocritical to complain because it insists on supposedly comparable freedom of navigation patrols in the South China Sea..... rejecting American warnings that China was crossing a “red line” by conducting military drills near Alaska, fuming that America has no right to complain when it keeps “trespassing into Chinese territorial waters without permission” – a reference to China’s illegal claims to control the entire South China Sea." Breitbart

Russia launches deadly rocket attack on city of Zaporizhzhia

"At least two people have been killed and more injured after a Russian rocket attack on the
southeastern Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia, near Europe’s biggest nuclear power plant...." France24

China's Economy Tips Into Deflation, Threatening Recovery From Pandemic

"China’s economy is tipping into deflation as the nation’s recovery from the COVID-19
pandemic falters.

The anxiety in China’s business sector is growing as comparisons to Japan’s “lost decades” are made.

China’s problems stem from the way it ended up dealing with the pandemic. The massive shutdowns of big cities and provinces because of just a few positive tests damaged the economy over a far longer period of time than in the West. And then when civil unrest threatened the government, it quickly lifted restrictions on movement and virtually everything else.

More than 80% of the Chinese population became infected with COVID-19 after restrictions were lifted two weeks before Christmas. China stopped counting infections and deaths months ago, but it’s believed that a million people may have died during the worst of the pandemic.

The Chinese government never offered any economic stimulus to restart the economy. 

Investors have been anxiously waiting for policymakers to inject stimulus after the powerful Politburo meeting last month, with the stock market mostly underwhelmed by the lack of concrete action." PJM

Officials likely to introduce mandatory evacuation in Kupiansk district, Kharkiv Oblast, due to intense shelling

"Civilians might be evacuated from 53 settlements located near the areas where hostilities are
taking place in the Kupiansk district, Kharkiv Oblast in Ukraine. 

Quote from Syniehubov: "The evacuation is being carried out as a preventive measure, as enemy forces have ramped up shelling in border-adjacent settlements near the front. Enemy forces continue to terrorise civilians, including by conducting airstrikes. Our goal is therefore to save the lives of as many civilians as we can.". Pravada

Ukraine Loses 370 Military in Donetsk Direction in Past 24 Hours

"Ukraine has lost up to 370 military in the Donetsk direction over the past 24 hours......The
Russian armed forces have repelled five attacks in the Donetsk direction over the given period, the ministry said, adding that another six attacks were repulsed in the Kupyansk direction, three in the Zaporozhye direction and two in the Krasny Liman direction." Sputnik

Niger Military Raise Threat Level, Blame France for Attack on National Guard

"Military leadership in Niger increased the threat level after they said that actions of French
troops resulted in an attack on Nigerien national guard, adding that a French warplane entered the African nation’s airspace...."....at 6.30 am [5:30 am GMT], the positions of the Niger National Guard... were attacked …The actions of the French forces were condemned for unilaterally releasing detained terrorists," Amadou Adramane, the Nigerien military’s spokesman, said." Sputnik

Ukraine’s Army gains ground toward Urozhaine, Pryiutne, Verbove

"Ukraine’s Armed Forces continue an offensive operation in the Bakhmut, Melitopol and
Berdiansk directions, seeing partial success toward Urozhaine, Pryiutne, and Verbove, where the forward units are entrenching on secured positions." Ukrin

Ukrainian drones downed in Moscow suburbs

 "Two unmanned aircraft heading toward the Russian capital have been shot down by air
defenses." RT

Most Germans against sending long-range missiles to Kiev – poll

"66% of respondents do not want Germany to support Ukraine with Taurus missiles capable of
reaching Moscow, according to a survey by RTL and n-tv." RT

Powerful explosion at factory in Moscow Region

"A powerful explosion has rocked a factory in the town of Sergiyev Posad outside of Moscow,
with evacuation efforts underway...The incident took place on the territory of the Zagorsk Optical-Mechanical Plant, which according to its website, designs and produces optical and electronic equipment." RT